The trophy stays in the family…
On Friday evening, Pro7 let the tires squeak again. After an eight-year break, the broadcaster relaunched its “TV total Autoball World Championship”, once invented by show legend Stefan Raab (56). At the last one in 2014, moderator Giovanni Zarrella (44) won the pot for Italy. His younger brother Stefano (32) made his comeback for the first time and ended up on the top step of the podium.
Host Steven Gätjen (50) was really blown away: “The trophy goes to someone who actually already has it at home.” His co-moderator Andrea Kaiser (40) cheered at the award ceremony about Zarrella’s performance: “This one Man just never gave up. Our national team could have learned a lesson from that in Qatar.”
Six participants from six nations. The “TV total” Autoball was a great event
In fact, she had expected a different winner. Iceland’s former national kicker Rúrik Gíslason (34) had not lost a match and competed against Stefano in the final. The decisive goal came in the last ten seconds. The other participants could only watch the showdown.
“TV total” presenter Sebastian Pufpaff (46, Germany), rapper Eko Fresh (39, Turkey), ex-DSDS juror Fernanda Brandao (39, Brazil) and Andrea Kaiser’s husband, Rallye, also had hopes of victory -Star Sebastien Ogier (38, France). In the spectacle, two celebrities chase a ball in their junk boxes, which they have to maneuver into the goal.
Pufpaff fit and motivated again after a bike accident
Pufpaff initially spat the biggest sounds. Because of a bicycle accident, he missed out on the “Wok World Cup”. But on Friday he was fit again, joked: “You don’t need ribs,” and then shouted into the sold-out ZAG Arena in Hanover: “We’re bringing the trophy home!” Pufpaff zu Gätjen: “I haven’t trained, I did but watched everything there was in terms of racing videos on YouTube.”
What no one expected: The first big bang happened in the very first duel between Zarrella and Ogier. The ball burst after just five seconds and had to be replaced with a new one. Commentator Robert “Robby” Hunke (39) was amazed: “These balls are pretty heavy. You have to get it to burst first.” Ogier won the match. Also because Zarrella scored an own goal.
When Pufpaff then competed against Eko Fresh, Andrea Kaiser teased: “You broke four ribs on two wheels. What happens on four wheels?” However, the joker was more concerned about his height: “We have to get myself out of the car here with Vaseline and a shoehorn.” He had an easy time against Eko Fresh.
Rapper Eko Fresh (left) had little luck, choking his car several times
The musician once caused laughter at the Autoball EM because he was by far the worst driver and kept involuntarily activating the windshield wipers. Something went wrong this time too. The crowd favorite stalled the engine several times and reversed the ball into his own goal. Commentator Hunke almost desperate: “No Eko! No!” He lost massively against Pufpaff.
Eko Fresh at the wheel of his car. The rapper scored twice against Fernanda Brandao
But the underdog was able to improve. Eko Fresh scored two goals against Fernanda Brandao. His first ever in an Autoball duel. Even the commentator was over the moon. “We made autoball history here.” The only woman in the competition was out and Eko Fresh even had a chance to reach the semi-finals, but was later defeated by Gíslason.
Little by little it was over for other candidates too. Pufpaff flew out against Stefano Zarrella, although the moderator had previously said: “The world champion thinks he would remain world champion. I’ll take a few points from him right away.”
Quite unexpectedly for the spectators, the match was interrupted by a speedster. But the campaign turned out to be a rather clumsy advertising gimmick. The logo of the Pro7 show “Beat the Star”, which will be broadcast on the station on Saturday, was emblazoned on the young man’s chest. In the end, the finalists were decided: Rúrik Gíslason, who had scored the most goals up to that point, and Stefano Zarrella fought for the trophy.
Reached the final and knows how to score goals: ex-professional soccer player Rúrik Gíslason
Both were very excited, but the Icelander didn’t show it. Andrea Kaiser: “You seem as calm as a sleeping volcano!” When she asked what he couldn’t do, he replied: “Mathematics.” Stefano’s knees, on the other hand, were obviously shaking. “My opponent is damn strong, a goalscorer.”
The opponents hardly dared to come out of cover at the beginning. Nobody wanted to make a mistake. When Zarrella’s car was damaged, the game had to be stopped. Meanwhile, Sebastian Pufpaff was seen peeling a tangerine behind the gang. The joker: “I can’t get any beer!”
Almost like in Formula 1! After the games, the participants celebrated exuberantly
Only in the last ten seconds of the five-minute duel did Zarrella score, which finally decided the evening. For moderator Steven Gätjen, the circle was closed: “He was still in the gang in 2014 as a supporter for his brother, who won at the time.” The champagne shower from opponent Rúrik was on top of that at the award ceremony. For “TV total” presenter Sebastian Pufpaff, it was enough for third place in the end.
